Riptide
by Bearbutt
Summary: Sea Arrow Highschool AU. Bad girl Artemis meets Overachiever Kaldur at the beach. They're both trying to escape their stressful lives and end up making fast friends. Oneshot.


**Looks like I had another Sea Arrow in me after all. This was written in response to a prompt from Starinhercorner. **

_**"seaarrow high school au where kaldur is a prestigious prep school honors student and artemis is some truant-borderline-dropout at a shitty public school on the other side of town but they both secretly like to hide away at the local beach to de-stress after school**_

_**one day artemis is one hell of a mood because of turmoil at home and she's throwing rocks into the ocean meanwhile kaldur is out swimming in the ocean when he gets hit in the head with a rock and once artemis realizes she hit someone she prepares to take any shit they have to give her and give it right back when suddenly kaldur fully emerges out of the water and oh no it's the most beautiful man in the world**_

_**kaldur then apologizes for being hit by her rock**_

_**the two form an unlikely friendship by the time the sun is down"**_

**Yeah, so I did the thing.**

**-B**

* * *

The path down to the beach is half wild half dump. Shaggy hedges tangled with litter line the worn dirt pathway.

Artemis should be in third period right now, but Mr. Staedler is a fascist who spends the whole class drilling a hole in her head with his eyes. She's "on probation" for skipping his highly important Career Prep. Like she wants advice from a balding former jock who drives a Volkswagen on how to live her life.

Other students who skip can just go home. Artemis doesn't have that luxury. Her dad's been hanging around the house a lot more, hinting about wanting to get back together with her mom. Fuck that noise. She remembers the sound of raised voices and breaking glass way too well to trust them to have a civil, adult relationship. But, her mother is lonely. She keeps shooting Artemis puppy eyes and pleading with her to give _Lawrence _a chance. That they're a family.

Hell to the no.

She jumps off the tiny lip between path and beach. The spongy feeling of it underfoot is relief enough to get the angry line between her neck and shoulders to relax.

She feels sand entering her sneakers through the cracks in her high tops. She'll have to shake them out when she hits pavement again, no big deal.

Artemis lights a cigarette. She stares out at the surf. The tide's in right now and it colours the water a dark blue-green. She follows the direction of the wind and walks along the shore.

She has a "spot". It's a little alcove made of rock and driftwood that she likes to perch on. Someone has spray painted their grad year and a giant dick on the rock. Artemis winces. She keeps the butt of her cigarette clenched between her teeth as she scales the formation.

Her stash of rocks is undisturbed. Aw yeah. Artemis takes a drag of her smoke and whips a rock out at the surf. It skips, , twice, three times.

She throws another and another.

* * *

Kalvin "Yes, it's with a K" Durham is the captain of the swim team, classic club, and the debate team. He is an honours student with "high hopes and expectations". His parents and teachers are all very proud of him. People respect him and like his calm demeanor and fair attitude.

It makes his teeth itch. He feels like a fake. A construct of the system to maintain order. A fixed point.

That's why he likes swimming. He can just disappear from his responsibilities and be Kaldur. (Of course his escape had to be turned into another source of competition and expectation. But, damn, those swimming trophies look good on the mantle.)

Today he has two spare periods in the middle of his day. He usually spends his spare periods studying or helping out this club or that. Today he just can't. Too many responsibilities are pulling him in different directions. He wants to get caught up in the current and let it take him away. He'll drift until he can't see land.

You can't drift very far in a pool, so Kaldur makes his way to the ocean.

One of the perks of private school is the location. St. Arthur's is located on prime ocean front property. It's not uncommon to find students playing hooky to swim in the summer or share lunch on nice days. The overcast and slight spatter guarantees him no interruptions.

He finds his favourite spot. It's a little alcove made of rock and driftwood. Some of his classmates have graffiti'd the stone with their graduating year and male genitalia. He rolls his eyes and loosens his tie.

His clothes (minus trunks) are left in a tidy pile under a log. He takes a jogging start at the surf and wades in. It laps at his ankles and is clinging to his thighs before he's deep enough to dive.

Time goes slower under water. It felt colder when he was walking in, but the ocean is actually warmer than the air. Kaldur holds his breath as long as he can before resurfacing with a gasp.

Thwack. There's a sharp pain in his forehead. He yells in alarm. He checks the spot for blood. Nothing. He looks around for the source.

A girl stands on the alcove. She has a rock in hand. She promptly drops it and crosses her arms over her chest.

Kaldur swims toward her.

* * *

The startled yell has Artemis drop what she's doing. Shit. She hit someone. Now she can add assault to her list of young criminal offenses.

She can't see the guy she hit very clearly, but she can tell he's coming for her. Artemis folds her arms, defensive and ready for battle.

The man who wades out of the surf is the most gorgeous human being she's ever seen. Water is running down dark abs and drops are getting caught in the waistband of his trunks. Her brain is shutting down and her groin is taking over thought processing. His thighs look strong enough to hold her up against a wall while having sex. His mouth. Oh god, his mouth.

His mouth is moving. He's talking to her.

"—Didn't know I wasn't alone. It was my fault. I got in the way of your throw."

This asshole is apologizing for her hitting him with a rock.

"Uh, no, it was my bad. I should have seen you." She says.

He smiles at her and she's in trouble.

"How about we agree to shared responsibility and forget the whole thing?"

"Hah, yeah."

An uncomfortable silence passes.

"I'm Kalvin Durham, everyone calls me Kaldur."

"Artemis Crock."

He holds a hand out to shake. She feels like a moron as she takes it. His grips is warm, strong, and wet. (Just like between her legs. Oh god did she just think that?)

She's holding his hand too long. She lets go and wipes her hand on her jeans.

"So, Artemis, what brings you to the beach?"

"Skipping Career Prep."

Wow, way to tell him too much information already. She feels her ears get hot.

"I don't understand why they make us prepare for a career in highschool. Most people don't even know what they want to do with their lives yet." He says.

Artemis feels better, more relaxed. There's something soothing about this guy.

"I know right? They want us to sort ourselves into whichever box sounds best. Like, excuse me, I don't want to be stuck in some shitty job I picked when I was sixteen."

"You're a sophomore then?"

Artemis bites her lip. She keeps revealing more than she means to.

"Yeah, I still have a ways to go yet."

"Well, I'd say it gets better, but it doesn't. I'm a senior and they're still making me select schools based on my career path. And yet, not a single sexual education class."

His voice drops a little at the end of his sentence. He's trying to be nonchalant in bringing up sex. She pretends not to notice.

"Of course. The real information that could help people not screw up their lives for good is conveniently left out. Thanks Obama."

"I'm pretty sure that one's on Bush, actually."

"Thanks Georgie." She laughs.

His nipples are hard from the cold and it's distracting. Artemis turns back to her perch. She's looking anywhere but at the delicious man in front of her.

"I should put some clothes on."

"Or I should get undressed. You know, put us on equal footing?" She says.

His eyebrows raise and his cheeks colour.

Score.

"Excuse me." He moves past her to grab his clothing.

His backside is just as beautiful as the front. He grabs a big red beach towel from the pile and dries off rather quickly. Artemis gawks.

After that his dressing is altogether too fast. He's wearing a private school uniform. Of course, St. Arthur's is just up the hill.

"You go to Steelpoint?" He says.

"Payton Heights, actually."

He winces and then looks apologetic for his reaction.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, if I liked it I'd be there right now."

She sits down against a log. Speckles of rain are starting to dot the yellow wood.

"It's starting to rain."

He nods and sucks his teeth. He looks conflicted.

"There's a cafe by the school. It's usually pretty dead right now. Would you like to go and… get out of the rain?"

"The water never bothered me, but sure."

He perks up both at her admission and her acceptance. He holds out a hand again. She takes it. The warmth spreads from her palm up her arms.

"So why are you out here?"

"Spare block."

"Ah, here I thought you were a rebel like me."

"Well, I was supposed to be available in the peer tutoring room."

"Oo, ditching volunteer hours. Stick it to the man, Kaldur."

"Well, we can't all be tough kids from the wrong side of the tracks." He rolls his eyes at the cliche as it comes out of his mouth.

"How do you know where I live?" Artemis keeps playing.

"I'm your biggest fan. I orchestrated this whole thing in order to finally meet you."

"My own stalker, I'm touched."

His eyes darken at her words and she feels the heat sink down to her stomach.

The trip up the path is quick and filled with more banter. When they reach the parking lot, Artemis holds up a hand and bends at the waist to untie her sneakers.

"Sand." She says.

"Good idea." He says.

Kaldur steps out of his own loafers and shakes them free of grit.

This guy. This freaking guy and his ability to make everything feel okay. It's not okay. He's probably a serial killer or a drug dealer. There needs to be a fatal flaw.

Artemis is staring at him with her shoes in her hands. He pauses and stares back.

"Are you for real?"

"I think so?" He checks his hands.

She laughs at his literal response and puts her shoes back on. She's being ridiculous.

The cafe is small and crappy. The tile is cracked and the counter is made out of Formica. It was probably a nice place back in the sixties. Ella Fitzgerald croons over the crackling speakers.

"It's nice." She says.

"You have to try their mac and cheese." Kaldur's reaching for his wallet.

"I can pay." Artemis bristles.

He holds up his palms, "You can pay next time. Let me treat you today."

She scowls.

"Dutch?"

"Deal."

She hands him a crumpled two dollar bill and then shuffles off to find a seat. She ends up picking a table by the window with overstuffed chairs.

Kaldur joins her in a minute and slides into the seat across from her. They drink plain water while they wait for the barista to heat up the macaroni.

"So, you go to St. Arthur's, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm graduating this year as the valedictorian."

She snorts, "Oh no you're such a square. Careful. Being around me is going to ruin your reputation."

"Good. I could use a bad boy edge." He says.

Artemis looks at him and sees the challenge.

"Maybe we'll rub off on each other." He says.

She feels that warmth again.

Yeah, maybe they will.


End file.
